145:1-9 Those who, under troubles and temptations, abound in fervent prayer, shall in due season abound in grateful praise, which is the true language of holy joy. Especially we should speak of God's wondrous work of redemption, while we declare his greatness. For no deliverance of the Israelites, nor the punishment of sinners, so clearly proclaims the justice of God, as the cross of Christ exhibits it to the enlightened mind. It may be truly said of our Lord Jesus Christ, that his words are words of goodness and grace; his works are works of goodness and grace. He is full of compassion; hence he came into the world to save sinners. When on earth, he showed his compassion both to the bodies and souls of men, by healing the one, and making wise the other. He is of great mercy, a merciful High Priest, through whom God is merciful to sinners.

Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised,.... Christ is the great God as well as our Saviour; great in all the perfections of his nature, of great wisdom, power, faithfulness, holiness, grace, and goodness; great in his person as God-man, God manifest in the flesh; great in all his offices and relations he bears and stands in to his people; and great in all his works of creation, providence, and redemption, in which he is concerned; and upon all which accounts he is to be praised, and greatly to be praised, by his people, even to the utmost of their capacities, here and hereafter; see Psalm 48:1;

and his greatness is unsearchable; the greatness of his nature, and the perfections of it, these are past finding out; and so are his ways and works, and the riches of his grace, John 11:7. The Targum is,

I will Exalt You, My God, the King…2Every day I will bless You, And I will praise Your name forever and ever. 3Great is the LORD, and highly to be praised, And His greatness is unsearchable.4One generation shall praise Your works to another, And shall declare Your mighty acts.…

Cross References

Romans 11:33Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out!

Job 5:9He performs wonders that cannot be fathomed, miracles that cannot be counted.

Job 9:10He performs wonders that cannot be fathomed, miracles that cannot be counted.

Job 11:7"Can you fathom the mysteries of God? Can you probe the limits of the Almighty?

Psalm 18:3I called to the LORD, who is worthy of praise, and I have been saved from my enemies.

Psalm 48:1A song. A psalm of the Sons of Korah. Great is the LORD, and most worthy of praise, in the city of our God, his holy mountain.

Psalm 86:10For you are great and do marvelous deeds; you alone are God.

Psalm 95:3For the LORD is the great God, the great King above all gods.

Psalm 96:4For great is the LORD and most worthy of praise; he is to be feared above all gods.

Psalm 135:5I know that the LORD is great, that our Lord is greater than all gods.

Psalm 147:5Great is our Lord and mighty in power; his understanding has no limit.

Psalm 150:2Praise him for his acts of power; praise him for his surpassing greatness.

Isaiah 40:28Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom.

Jeremiah 32:18You show love to thousands but bring the punishment for the parents' sins into the laps of their children after them. Great and mighty God, whose name is the LORD Almighty,

Treasury of Scripture

Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; and his greatness is unsearchable.